Kemmy competing in a man’s world

By BRADLEY MARIORI
KEMMY Usel believes that a woman can do anything a man can do.
Kemmy, 21, is training to become an electrician.
“It all depends on how you concentrate and learn from senior technicians how they do things. The first week was very hard for me but I now know what to do.”
She is the fourth eldest in a family of eight. Her dad is from Karkar Island in Madang and her mum is from Daru in Western.
She completed the first three grades in Kiunga and grades four to seven in Madang.
In 2012, she returned to Kiunga to complete Grade Eight at the Kiunga Town Primary School. She then proceeded to do Grade Nine to Grade 12 at Kiunga Secondary.
She completed Grade 12 in 2017 but could not make it to any tertiary institution.
This year, she got an offer from the Port Moresby Technical School to pursue a course which will qualify her as an electrician. She has completed the first stage of her national certificate course and is on the second stage. She is on an on-the-job training with a company.

“I’m doing my on-the-job training with Trakpro about the installation of cameras and GPS.”
It is really not part of her trade (electrical) as it is more to do with automotive electricians.
But she is concentrating on the training and getting on well with her male colleagues and observing experienced electricians go about their work.
“We are currently installing cameras and GPS on different types of vehicles. Working with males is very challenging but I will learn many things if I overcome the challenges. I am learning something new and I’m proud of that.”
It is the first month of training and although she was lost at first, she is starting to grasp the knowledge and skills she will need as an electrician. She pays close attention and try to understand what she has been taught and observed.
After the on-the-job training, she will return to Pomtech to complete the third stage of her certificate.
She is hoping that one day she will earn an apprenticeship with OK Tedi Mining Limited.
“I’ve always wanted to get an apprenticeship with OK Tedi. I’ve gained some experience already and I’m positive I’ll get there.”
Her advice to women and girls who have a dream but see men blocking their paths is not to give up.
“In male-dominated areas, men look down on us. Anything that a man can do is possible for a woman to do. It’s not hard. Everyone has the potential to do anything. It’s just that we have to set our goal, focus on it, and move forward to achieve it.”